Member for Davidson, Jonathan O’Dea has welcomed that community Sports Clubs will be eligible to apply for a 50% co-funding contribution for a lifesaving defibrillator.
Mr O’Dea said as part of the 2017-2018 Budget, $4 million would be allocated over four years to assist sporting clubs across NSW purchase and maintain Automatic External Defibrillators (AED).
“The first eight minutes after a person has a cardiac arrest are the most critical and early access to CPR and defibrillation can increase the likelihood of survival by up to 75 percent,” Mr O’Dea said.
“We will roll out more than 2,500 AEDs over the next four years, under the Local Sports Defibrillation Program, which will also see community members trained in how to use them.”
Mr O’Dea said, “I am aware that a number of Sports Clubs in the Davidson electorate have already funded lifesaving defibrillators and I congratulate them for their initiative.”
Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres said some form of cardiac arrest is experienced by up to 33,000 people in Australia every year.
“With thousands of spectators and players attending sporting events around the state every week, having AEDs at those venues will save lives,” Mr Ayres said.
Applications from clubs will be invited from October through the Office of Sport website.
